BANGKOK, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Thai stocks hit a near
1-1/2-year low on Tuesday as a deadly bombing in central Bangkok
dented the outlook of tourism industry while Indonesian shares
retreated after weak trade data in July and the central bank's
expected interest rate decision.
The Thai key SET index ended down 2.6 percent at
1,372.61, the lowest close since March 2014, on heavy volume,
which was two times the 30-day average.
The Thai bourse said foreign investors sold a net 6.9
billion baht ($194.1 million), the biggest one-day outflow since
December. The baht slid to the weakest level in more
than six years.
Shares of Central Plaza Hotel plunged almost 13
percent and Airports of Thailand dropped 6.6 percent
amid selloffs in tourism-related stocks.
Thai authorities said they were looking for a suspect seen
on closed-circuit television footage near a popular shrine where
a bomb blast late on Monday killed 22 people, including nine
foreigners from several Asian countries.
Indonesia's index was down 1.6 percent after data
showed worse-than-expected falls in July exports and imports,
while Bank Indonesia held its benchmark interest rate steady as
expected to maintain stability in the rupiah.
Other markets ended the day mixed, with Singapore
giving up early gains, the Philippines ending a tad
lower. Malaysia rebounded, ending a two-day losing
streak, while Vietnam notched up gains on the back of
banking stocks.
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SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS
Change on day
Market Current Prev Close Pct Move
Singapore 3049.65 3067.35 -0.58
Kuala Lumpur 1579.60 1572.54 +0.45
Bangkok 1372.61 1408.74 -2.56
Jakarta 4510.48 4585.39 -1.63
Manila 7333.45 7336.84 -0.05
Ho Chi Minh 580.22 573.15 -1.23
Change on year
Market Current End 2014 Pct Move
Singapore 3049.65 3365.15 -9.38
Kuala Lumpur 1579.60 1761.25 -10.31
Bangkok 1372.61 1497.67 -8.35
Jakarta 4510.48 5226.95 -13.71
Manila 7333.45 7230.57 +1.42
Ho Chi Minh 580.22 545.63 +6.34
($1 = 35.5500 baht)
(Reporting by Viparat Jantraprap; Editing by Anand Basu)